The immature in the faith

1 Corinthians 11:17-26

“But in the following instructions I do not commend you, because when you come together it is not for the better but for the worse. For, in the first place, when you come together as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you. And I believe it in part, for there must be factions among you in order that those who are genuine among you may be recognized. When you come together, it is not the Lord's supper that you eat. For in eating, each one goes ahead with his own meal. One goes hungry, another gets drunk. What! Do you not have houses to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and humiliate those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I commend you in this? No, I will not.”

When we talk about the Church today, most have this connotation, it’s a building where religious people meet, and sad but true that hits the spot on many who go by the title of Christian.  That is not what the apostle Paul is making reference to.  The Church was not a building, it was a place where they came together to assemble as a united or corporate body of Christ, in fact, it was never referred to as a place of meeting in the New Testament.

Paul goes on to state that some are genuine among you and is saying those are not the ones causing this problem.  They were the true followers of Christ and had matured and were a light during times of strife and division.  

When they came together as an assembly to celebrate the Lord’s Supper, many of the immature in the faith looked at this as a time to party, and it was built around self and not Christ.  Some went hungry while others brought the china and enjoyed the best lamb chops with apple pie and blue bell ice cream.   This picture that comes into my mind is a 10 & 20-year high school reunion, where many are showing pictures of stuff they have acquired and even the second or third wife as they moved up the social ladder.

The apostle Paul shares this insight in verses 23-26; “For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.”

Paul states that he received this from the LORD, and one must believe it was a special revelation from Jesus to Paul.  What a contrast between Christ giving His life and those in the church of Corinth during the Lord’s Supper.   It is in verse 26 that you and I are reminded that Christ is coming back, but until then we as a body are to honor and hold as a solemn remembrance the price that Jesus paid for sin, all sin, my sins and yours.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice